EDWARD BASSHE AND FRANCIS WHITTINGTON ALIAS WHYTTON

The three years of Mary's reign that followed the year in which occurred Wyatt's rebellion, the queen's marriage with Philip of Spain and the reconciliation with Rome, were notable for the fruitless attempts to extirpate heresy by the burning of 279 protestants. This affected the west of England less than the east and the country districts less than the towns; and none suffered in Somerset outside Bristol. While this suggests the slight hold the reformed religion had on the people of this county it also says much for the humane temper of Gilbert Bourne the bishop of Bath and Wells who ‘could doubtless have found martyrs if he had looked for them’. Mary died in November 1558.

The persecution ceased, but no violent changes in religion followed immediately on the accession of Elizabeth (1558–1603). She chose as her secretary a cautious reformer, William Cecil; he had served under Somerset, had retained the favour of Mary and for forty years remained her successor's right-hand man. Elizabeth's first parliament passed Acts of Uniformity and Supremacy but the queen gave no encouragement to the Calvinism which had been welcomed in Scotland. Peace was made with France and an effort, more sustained than had been Mary's, was put forth to restore the embarrassed finances of the country.